Phnom Penh Pub Crawl with Free Mad Monkey Singlet

Phnom Penh’s Mad Monkey pub crawl is less about polished cocktail bars and more about getting a ready-made social night for $12. You start at Mad Monkey Phnom Penh, collect a free singlet, take part in the opening drinks, then move through a rooftop stop, Duplex Belgian Tavern, and Club Love.

I like the low price and the simple route. The singlet helps you find your group, and the guide keeps the evening moving without asking you to plan every bar yourself. The main drawback is the size and tone: the crowd can reach roughly 50 people, and some of the free shots are reported to be heavily diluted or unpleasant.

Key points to know

• Meet at 7:00 PM at Mad Monkey Phnom Penh, with free shots offered on the hour.
• The $12 fee includes a singlet, one beer or house mixer, free shots, and discounted drinks.
• The night is aimed at adults under 18 are not allowed, with a strong hostel crowd.
• The route reaches Club Love around midnight, where the dancing becomes the main event.
• The group may be large, with one evening reaching about 50 people.
• Bring cash, since personal spending is not included.

What the $12 Phnom Penh pub crawl really offers

This is a budget nightlife package with a social setup, not a carefully selected tour of Phnom Penh’s best bars. For twelve dollars, you get a guide, a free Mad Monkey singlet, one beer or house mixer, free shots at Mad Monkey, and reduced drink prices during the night.

That is a fair deal if you want company and a fixed plan. A single drink at a popular nightlife spot can take a good share of the price, and the singlet gives you an easy way to spot your group. You are also paying for the convenience of moving from place to place with a guide instead of making decisions alone.

I would not book this expecting fine spirits, quiet conversation, or small-group service. The appeal is energy, dancing, and meeting people who are staying at Mad Monkey or nearby. One account described a group of about 50, which tells you what kind of evening this can become.

The overall experience has received a middling score of 3.8 out of 5 from 15 bookings. That fits the main pattern: the organization and social mood work well, but the drinks, crowd size, and exact bar quality can disappoint.

Starting at Mad Monkey Phnom Penh at 7:00 PM

The evening begins at Mad Monkey Phnom Penh at 7:00 PM. Free shots start on the hour, so arriving close to the meeting time makes sense if you want the opening part of the night rather than joining after the group has formed.

The first stop is also listed as a welcome period lasting about two hours. That means Mad Monkey is not just a quick check-in point. You have time to meet the group, receive your singlet, order drinks, and settle into the night before the group leaves.

The singlet serves a practical purpose. It marks you as part of the crawl, which helps when a large group spreads through a bar or moves along the street. It also gives the night a clear hostel-party feel. If you prefer to keep a low profile, wearing matching clothing may not appeal to you, but it is useful when you are trying to find the guide.

Free shots are part of the draw, but pace yourself. A direct account of the crawl described the shots as diluted, while another account warned that the complimentary alcohol could be unpleasant. You do not need to accept every drink, and you should eat and drink water before the night gets moving.

The guide speaks English and handles the group between stops. No guide names are provided, so you should not book this expecting a particular host. The value of the guide is practical: keeping people together, pointing you toward the next venue, and helping the evening follow its route.

The long wait before the first bar

The published schedule lists the group leaving for the first rooftop bar at about 10:30 PM. That creates a gap of roughly three and a half hours between the 7:00 PM meeting time and the first move.

This is important when you plan your night. You are not signing up for a fast bar-to-bar walk beginning at seven. The opening period at Mad Monkey is a major part of the experience. If you enjoy drinking games, meeting people, and waiting for the group to gather, the slow start may suit you.

If you want to see several parts of Phnom Penh after dark, the schedule may feel sluggish. One direct account said the group spent too long at a karaoke bar when many people wanted club music instead. The timing can also change, so treat the listed hours as a guide rather than a promise.

I suggest arriving with modest expectations about the first half of the night. Use the time to meet people and decide how much of the organized route you want to follow. You can enjoy the social start without feeling obliged to accept every shot or stay for every minute.

The rooftop stop at about 10:30 PM

The first outside venue is described as a rooftop bar with city views. In practice, the view may be less dramatic than the wording suggests. One booking account found the stop was closer to a second-floor venue with a view of another building’s wall than a true rooftop panorama.

That does not make the stop useless, but it changes the reason to go. Think of it as a change of setting and a chance to continue with the group, not a dedicated Phnom Penh viewpoint. If you are hoping for a memorable night photograph across the city, keep your expectations in check.

The stop is scheduled for about 45 minutes before the group moves on at 11:15 PM. That is enough time for a drink and a little conversation, but not enough for a long sit-down evening. You may find this short visit helpful because it prevents the crawl from getting stuck in one place.

The value here depends on your priorities. You will appreciate it if you want variety and a guide-led route. You may feel short-changed if the rooftop label is a major reason you booked.

Duplex Belgian Tavern at 11:15 PM

The second listed venue is Duplex Belgian Tavern, also shown as Duplex Belgian Tavern in Khmer. The group is due to arrive around 11:15 PM and stay for about 45 minutes before heading to Club Love at midnight.

The name suggests a different bar style from the opening hostel, but the supplied information does not promise a particular beer list, food menu, live music program, or seating arrangement. I would therefore treat it as a social bar stop rather than plan the evening around Belgian beer or a specific specialty.

This is also the point where the group may feel crowded. At roughly 50 people, keeping everyone together in a compact venue can make conversation difficult. On the positive side, the group atmosphere can be festive, and the discounted drinks help control costs.

The crawl includes free shots and reduced drink prices throughout the route, but personal expenses remain your responsibility. Bring cash, and keep enough aside for drinks, transport home, or anything else you may need after Club Love.

Club Love from midnight onward

The night finishes at LOVE Phnom Penh, commonly referred to as Club Love. The group is scheduled to arrive around midnight, and this is the part built for dancing. The activity description makes your dance moves a central part of the plan, so expect music, movement, and a more club-focused finish.

Club Love is the strongest reason to choose this crawl if you want to end at a proper nightlife venue rather than return to the hostel. The route gives you a social warm-up, then takes you to the late-night stop when the evening is ready to shift toward dancing.

The timing also explains why some people may enjoy the crawl more than others. If you want a club night, you may be happy to wait through the earlier stops and reach the main venue around midnight. If you prefer conversation, quieter bars, or an early finish, the schedule is less convenient.

The listed finish is at Club Love, not back at Mad Monkey. Plan your return before you set out, especially if you do not know Phnom Penh well. The provided details do not include transport back to the hostel or hotel.

The crowd, age range, and social mood

Most of the group may come from Mad Monkey Hostel. One 40-year-old participant described being the oldest by a wide margin, which gives you a useful picture of the crowd: expect a young hostel audience, though the event is open to eligible adults beyond the hostel itself.

That age mix is not automatically a problem. If you want to meet younger backpackers, share drinks, and join a ready-made party, it can work very well. If you are looking for a mixed-age Phnom Penh night with local conversation and a calmer pace, this may not be the best fit.

The group size matters more than the age range. A group of about 50 can create a friendly, festive mood, but it can also slow down check-ins, make venues feel full, and split people into smaller clusters. The singlet helps you locate the group, but it cannot make a large crowd feel intimate.

The guide is useful here. A large group needs someone to signal the next move and keep the route clear. Still, you should be comfortable managing yourself. Keep track of your phone, cash, and friends rather than relying on the guide to notice every person at every stop.

Drinks, free shots, and the real cost of the night

The included drinks are attractive on paper. You receive one free beer or house mixer, plus free shots at Mad Monkey and discounted drinks during the crawl. At twelve dollars, that can make the package good value for someone who plans to buy several drinks.

The catch is quality and personal taste. Complimentary shots may be diluted, and one account described the free alcohol as bad enough to spoil the evening. This is a good reason to choose a drink you actually enjoy, take your time, and avoid treating the free shots as a challenge.

The price does not cover personal expenses. You will need cash for additional drinks and anything else you buy. The supplied information does not give exact prices for discounted drinks, so I would not build a precise spending budget around the discount.

My practical approach would be simple: regard the free drink as a bonus, not the main value. The stronger parts of the package are the guide, the fixed route, the singlet, and the chance to meet a large social group. If the included alcohol is not appealing, you can still use the crawl as a way to reach the venues.

What to bring and how to prepare

Bring cash. That is the one specific packing instruction, and it matters because drinks beyond the included allowance and other personal purchases are not covered.

Wear something comfortable for a long evening and dancing. The singlet is complimentary, but the provided details do not say if you must wear it. Wearing it will make the group easier to find, especially when the crowd is large.

Eat before the crawl or at least begin the evening with a solid meal. Food is not listed as included, and the free shots begin early. You will have a better night if you treat the alcohol as optional rather than trying to keep pace with the group.

The experience is for adults only. Children under 18 cannot join, and it is not suitable for pregnant women. English is the tour language, so you should be comfortable following instructions and speaking with the guide in English.

Who will enjoy this experience most

I would choose this crawl if you are staying at Mad Monkey, visiting Phnom Penh alone, or want a quick way to meet people at night. The guide removes the awkwardness of choosing a first bar, and the matching singlet gives the group a clear identity.

It also suits budget-conscious visitors who want drinks, a bar route, and Club Love for one low starting price. The value improves if you use the free drink and discounted prices while staying within your own limit.

I would be more cautious if you are over 30 and hoping for a broad age mix, though age alone should not rule it out. I would also hesitate if rooftop views are your main goal, if you dislike loud group events, or if you prefer carefully chosen bars over a hostel-led party route.

The crawl can work for couples and friends, but the strongest fit is a solo visitor or small group seeking company. You should be happy to spend several hours with a large crowd before reaching the main club.

Booking flexibility and timing

You can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option lets you keep your plans flexible. The activity is valid for one day, with starting times shown during availability checks.

The schedule is approximate. The key listed times are 7:00 PM at Mad Monkey, 10:30 PM for the first outside bar, 11:15 PM at Duplex Belgian Tavern, and midnight at Club Love. Since the times can change, do not book another fixed evening activity too close to this one.

The crawl ends at Club Love. That is useful if you want to keep partying, but less convenient if you hoped to be escorted back to Mad Monkey. The details do not include a return transfer.

Should you book the Mad Monkey Phnom Penh crawl?

Book it if you want a cheap, social night with a guide, free singlet, several included drink perks, and a finish at Club Love. The organization and easy group identity are the strongest features, and the price is hard to argue with if you plan to drink and meet people.

Skip it if you want high-quality complimentary alcohol, small groups, impressive rooftop views, or a quiet tour of Phnom Penh nightlife. The large crowd, delayed first bar, and uneven venue experience are real considerations.

My call: this is a useful party starter rather than a top-to-bottom nightlife tour. Go for the social connection and simple route, pace yourself with the shots, bring cash, and treat the rooftop stop as a bar visit rather than a major city-view attraction.

FAQ

How much does the Phnom Penh pub crawl cost?

The price is $12 per person.

Where does the pub crawl start?

It starts at Mad Monkey Phnom Penh.

What time should I arrive?

The listed meeting time is 7:00 PM.

When does the group leave for the first outside bar?

The schedule lists departure for the first rooftop bar at about 10:30 PM, though times can change.

Which bars are included?

The route includes Mad Monkey Phnom Penh, Duplex Belgian Tavern, and Club Love.

Where does the night finish?

The crawl finishes at LOVE Phnom Penh, also called Club Love.

Is a drink included?

Yes. The package includes one free beer or house mixer, free shots at Mad Monkey, and discounted drinks throughout the tour.

Is the Mad Monkey singlet included?

Yes. A complimentary singlet is included.

Is the pub crawl suitable for children?

No. People under 18 cannot join.

What should I bring?

Bring cash for personal expenses and any additional drinks.